Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Ambassador Watch Calls It a Day

Gavin Rumney has announced he will no longer be updating his Ambassador Watch blog.

Here I would like to express my deepest thanks and appreciation for his fine work critiquing Armstrongism which has been of inestimable help to so many struggling to make sense of what happened while believing in Armstrongism.

I wish Rumney well in dealing with his health issue and deeply hope for his quick recovery.

9 comments:

Yes, Gavin has done some fine work and has presented his materials in a manner that even the brainwashed might find palatable.Pseudodoc Bob Thiel has of course expressed his usual negative comments, but most of us have come to regard those as actually being a compliment and endorsement.

I hope that someone will continue Gavin's tradition of linking to new issues of Dixon Cartwright's "Journal".

He may not realize this, but when people read his words, they automatically think of him as the stereotypical or quintessential Armstrongite. I mean we certainly all knew people who were exactly like him, didn't we? Frankly, many people would think of him as actually deserving persecution, and wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over doling out some sort of payback. And, he'd probably rejoice that he had been counted worthy of the persecution that he had in fact brought on himself. Bummer for him.

The total absence of kindness -- indeed, any sort of humanity at all -- is appalling.

The hubris of the 1 percenters of Armstrongism is a disturbing display and the lack of self-awareness for them to perceive who and what they are is a wonder to behold.

If it is true that God resists the proud, as it says in the Epistle of James, it is very clear that God will never have anything to do with them and ignore them completely -- to let them just froth out their drivel of false judgement which stands as its own testament against them.

They should be afraid -- very afraid -- terrified, to ever face judgment.

Until I started poking around after this announcement, I'd forgotten how much good work Gavin has done over the years. At the Cogwriter site alone, accounts of Gavin's quiet achievements are impressive, and stand up well to Bob's lame rebuttals.

If You are new please read this

Hand in Hand for Syria

Keep Somalia's Remittances Open

I encourage readers to sign this petition from Oxfam calling upon the U.S. government to let the Somali diaspora continue to send remittance to their loved ones in Somalia.

Moves have been made to shut down such remittances from Somalis in America. Many Somalis need these remittances. The remittances to Somalia are larger than foreign aid contributions and are a lifeline to these people caught in trouble and turmoil.

It is true that HWA said that some Eastern European states would break away from Moscow's orbit and join the European Empire he said would arise at any moment. But he never talked of the Soviet Union collapsing. He did not teach that. Also he portrayed the rise of the European Empire to be far quicker then what has actually happened. In Mystery of the Ages Christ was supposed to return by 2005 at the most.

So assertions that the fall of the Berlin Wall somehow prove that HWA was right is just complete nonsense spread by people who, for whatever reason, are still in denial that HWA was a false prophet who merely talked out of his own "human reasoning".

Truth about Roderick C. Meredith

What sort of man is he? A man who could say things like this.

"Mr. Armstrong has reminded us again that we are to disfellowship any members who attend GTA's [Garner Ted Armstrong's] campaigns, church services or other meetings. Some of our weaker members apparently do not realize that this man is in direct rebellion against God and His government! We must not allow them, or ourselves, to rationalize about this matter, to try to "help the underdog," or in any other way lend support to one whose gross immorality, whose long standing "play acting" and hypocrisy, and whose direct insubordination to the Government of God has long been and is now a source of confusion and DIVISION among God's people. So, as per Mr. Armstrong's instruction, I charge and exhort every one of you faithful ministers of the living Christ to explain this in no uncertain terms to your members, to warn them about this cause of division and then to disfellowship any who consort with GTA or any of his fellows." (Roderick C. Meredith, Pastor's Report, May 21, 1979, pp. 1-2.)

David Robinson on Roderick C. Meredith

"During the ten years I have been an employee of the Worldwide Church, you have been poorly spoken of by most of the ministers and employees I have known. I vividly remember the absolute unbounded glee that was openly expressed by a good number of respected men in the church when you were first "shanghaied." [In 1972.] I could begin by naming names, which I am sure would shock you. I was one of the few who stood, where possible, for you. Your tenure as superintendent of ministers, as I believe the office was then called, was looked on as nightmarish. While you held office during the years of growth, most of those whom I know gave you very little credit for that growth. Almost everyone whom I know, whether they be former friends of yours, or continuing foes, recalls insensitive and terrible things you have done. Without exception, at least among my acquaintances, they all credit you with an unbridled lust for power and list you as one who is willing to pay the price of gaining that power, no matter what. I have, through many of the last few years, believed you had principles you would not violate. Many a man of experience in the church assured me of my error. Events have proven me wrong and them right. Mr. Armstrong has himself been widely quoted as saying of you that you were so righteous that you were so "righteous you were unrighteous." " (David Robinson, Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web, Chapter 16, p. 207.)

Of course it is impossible for me to personally verify these assertions but people deserve to know what this knowledgeable man had to say about him.